10 Sites to make you Productive on the Web

Do you feel that you are spending too much time on Facebook or Twitter? Do you feel less productive because of this? Relax, Web is far wider than the social media websites. In this post, I will share with you some websites which can make you feel productive and get some value out of the World Wide Web.

1. Quora

Quora is a fast growing question and answer site. Consider it like Wikipedia, but a lot more interactive with numerous active participants (a majority of Indians).

You can be a passive participant following all topics of your interest and reading great answers; or you can get on the bandwagon and write some great answers.

Here is an introduction on Quora in the words of its founder Adam D’Angelo.

Quora connects you to everything you want to know about. Quora aims to be the easiest place to write new content and share content from the web. We organize people and their interests so you can find, collect and share the information most valuable to you.

If you decide to join Quora and get involved in this excellent community, feel free to connect with me here – Ashwin Chandrasekaran.

2. Elevate

Adjudged by Apple as one of the top iOS Apps for 2014, Elevate keeps your mind stimulated everyday through a variety of exercises. These range from vocabulary to math calculations and listening comprehension to brevity.

You get reminded everyday for a personalized training session and it doesn’t take more than 10 minutes. But it is a workout that you will cherish for the rest of the day.

3. Vocabulary.com

Though it is well suited for students for their exam preps, I find it very interesting as a life long learner. By repetition and detailed explanation, it does the job well to help you remember the words.

4. Memrise

If you were always planning to learn a new language but making excuses for time, then you should try Memrise.

It takes a similar approach like Vocabulary.com but for a variety of languages. The lessons are short and don’t take more than 10 minutes a day. But it will definitely help you fall in love with learning a new language!

5. TED

TED talks are an easy and inexpensive way to hear the ideas from some great minds in the world, at the comfort of your computer or any device. For once, watching Youtube can make your feel productive!

6. Sporcle

There are quizzes in almost every category, but my favorites are the ones related to Geography and the Countries. If you are around, connect with me and let us compete!!

7. Coursera

If you resent a missed opportunity to take lessons from a top university or a great professor, Coursera can give you a second chance.

It is an excellent website offering free online courses from various Universities around the world. The structure and syllabus for most of them are very similar to the actual ones. For a small fee, you can also get a signed certificate of completion thus making it no different than attending on campus. Again, a treat for life long learners!

10. Mindtools

Though I haven’t personally used it much, the website seems to have a very good collection of articles and tools related to learning. More focused on Management and Leadership, you might want to take a look if these interest you.

This first list of 10 should help you get started towards Productivity on the Internet. I will come back soon with more to feed your brain and make you feel productive! Have a great weekend.